NX Mission: The First Casualty

[Dylan Torngate]

Captain's starlog, Feburary 2nd, 2156. The Starship Lexington is returning from a recient survey of the Varian nebula. While it has been an uneventful journey, the crew is eager to get home. From what I've heard, the Admiralty should be granting us a month of shore leave. Hopefully we can get to that soon, as supplies are lower than I would originally have wished. While we have plenty to get us home, we are scheduled to resupply at Earth base 83 within a matter of days.

I know that the crew is on edge- two crewmen got into a fistfight last tuesday in the mess hall. Hopefully we'll be in port by Friday.

[Captain's Ready Room]

Charles sighed. "Computer, end log." he said, pressing a button. The computer gave a single beep in response, as Charles looked out at the stars out of his ready room. It was quiet there, almost too quiet. He sighed and exited his ready room, walking through the bridge and to the turbolift, nodding to and acknowledging the crew that was there. From there, he entered the turbolift silently, taking the lift down to E deck and wandering the halls, aimlessly. Benefits of command: You didn't have to account to anyone on your ship. Instead he could wander, as the ship flew through warp out of their territory. The comms silence of late had been concerning, but nothing too bad. They were the first ship to chart this particular area of space, so there was bound to be things that they didn't understand.

[Mess Hall]

As he reached the mess he entered, and walked up to the window there. Unlike many Captains, Charles didn't like using the mess hall that was reserved for him, except on special occasions. He much rather preferred to eat with his crew, to work with them and earn their respect. Though many people may not have agreed with his methods, they worked for his reasons. And with a crew of under one hundred, Charles needed to be able to count on everyone. He looked in at the cook. "Hey there." he said, smiling through the window. "What's for lunch today?"

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Hydroponics - E Deck]

Mahak was busily squirting down a tomato plant with a hand held water bottle, pumping fresh water onto the rich dark soil and the leaves. This tomato crop was particularly bountiful: he predicted that he would have enough fruit to harvest to satisfy the cook for a long time. Tomato juice was very nutritious, but an old earth legend said that the leaves were poisonous. Mahak had heard enough earth legends since being assigned to the Lexington a month prior.

"Didn't know you had a green thumb, Subcommander," said a friendly, cheerful voice.

The Vulcan half turned and saw Crewman Moore, a cheerful fellow in the department. In response, Mahak held up his two thumbs to the man, about to say that his thumbs were not green, but unintentionally making a positive human gesture.

"Hey, thumbs up right back at you!" Moore cried enthusiastically, and turned and left.

Mahak blinked, and lowered his hands. Humans.

[Solluk]

[Engine Room]

Bota checked off the last of the items on his data pad, and then returned it to its charging and storage rack along one wall.  This had become his daily routine: A thirty-point check on the drive system, and it was now complete.  No problems to report.  Everything was purring like a kitten.

Working on the Lexington was quite a change from the Mercury.   An older NV class, the Mercury was among the first of the Warp 2 ships commissioned by Star Fleet. Built during an era when warp drive was still an emerging technology.  Things were always breaking down in her engine room, or falling out of calibration.  Efforts were constantly being made to optimize her systems, to squeeze out a few more cochranes.  The name 'Mercury' had been chosen in part because of its allusion to great speed.    Ironically, time and technological advancements had consigned her to serve as one of the slowest ships in the Star Fleet.  Once a few more NX-Class vessels were built, they would probably mothball her, or maybe sell her into civilian service.

Sometimes he felt guilty for leaving the Mercury behind, with all its struggles and problems.  But then he laid eyes on this jewel of modern engineering, and all of his guilt vanished.

Reaching out, he laid his right hand on the side of the core, his palm atop its copper-colored shell.  A gentle thrumming could be felt through the housing.   Inside, a storm of superpowered plasma was roiling, created by the mutual annhilation of matter and antimatter.  It was a domain of the Gods, harnessed by mere mortals.  The Warp 5 engine would doubtless stand as the greatest technological achievement of his generation.

And it was his to maintain.

Well, his... and everyone else in Engineering.  Not the least of whom was his boss, Commander Renehan.  She was the Chief Engineering officer on the Lexington.  He envied her the position.  She was much younger than he was, and had far fewer scholarly credentials under her belt.  He never would have requested this assignment under normal conditions, knowing that someone younger and less qualified would be his superior.  Only the Warp 5 engine had motivated him to overlook his ego and take the post when it was offered to him.

However, in his short time here, he had begun to appreciate why she held her lofty rank and position as head of the Engineering department.  While Bota had obtained a highly specialized and rarified education in warp systems on Earth, Renehan was a spacer, an accomplished jack-of-all-trades with a lifelong experience repairing and modifying ship systems.  Through sheer force of will, she had leapfrogged from Enlisted to Officer ranks, crushing all engineering challenges under her boots.  And she had a keen understanding of how to manage her department as well as its machines.

In short, she was better than he was.

It was a humbling thing, and not good for his ego, but it was the truth.

Well, he would just have to learn what he could from her.   Follow her example.   And then one day, an engine room just like this one might be his to command.

(open tag for anyone who might come along)   

[Kira Wyman]

Arsenio's Office

Arsenio looked out the window of his office and sighed to himself. "Could shore leave come any quicker?" Kaia turned around and smiled at Arsenio; she had come during her lunch break.

"Yeah, yeah. You keep saying that but it won't come any sooner." Kaia grinned slightly, walking over to the seat opposite Arsenio and sitting down. "After all... Hopefully it will only be a few more weeks and then we'll have a month, all to ourselves." Arsenio smiled at the thought of having the month off. The amount of paperwork which had been pushed his way had started to weigh him down. He'd been handing down a lot of it to junior officers.

Arsenio looked up at Kaia and smiled. "I guess so, I'll be staying positive then." He paused for a moment and then raised from his chair. "But I have work to do, and your lunch break is nearly over." Kaia stood up and walked up to Arsenio. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you soon." Arsenio walked out into the Sickbay and watched Kaia leave.

Sickbay

Arsenio walked out into Sickbay and looked around quickly. "You alright, boss?" Arsenio looked around to the source of the familiar voice and smiled. "I'm good, I have a piece of paperwork which could be finished if you're free." The ensign called Gabriel nodded and took the paperwork out of Arsenio's hand. I'll get it done.'

[D'Vid]

Captain's starlog, Feburary 2nd, 2156. The Starship Lexington is returning from a recient survey of the Varian nebula. While it has been an uneventful journey, the crew is eager to get home. From what I've heard, the Admiralty should be granting us a month of shore leave. Hopefully we can get to that soon, as supplies are lower than I would originally have wished. While we have plenty to get us home, we are scheduled to resupply at Earth base 83 within a matter of days.

I know that the crew is on edge- two crewmen got into a fistfight last tuesday in the mess hall. Hopefully we'll be in port by Friday.

[Captain's Ready Room]

Charles sighed. "Computer, end log." he said, pressing a button. The computer gave a single beep in response, as Charles looked out at the stars out of his ready room. It was quiet there, almost too quiet. He sighed and exited his ready room, walking through the bridge and to the turbolift, nodding to and acknowledging the crew that was there. From there, he entered the turbolift silently, taking the lift down to E deck and wandering the halls, aimlessly. Benefits of command: You didn't have to account to anyone on your ship. Instead he could wander, as the ship flew through warp out of their territory. The comms silence of late had been concerning, but nothing too bad. They were the first ship to chart this particular area of space, so there was bound to be things that they didn't understand.

[Mess Hall]

As he reached the mess he entered, and walked up to the window there. Unlike many Captains, Charles didn't like using the mess hall that was reserved for him, except on special occasions. He much rather preferred to eat with his crew, to work with them and earn their respect. Though many people may not have agreed with his methods, they worked for his reasons. And with a crew of under one hundred, Charles needed to be able to count on everyone. He looked in at the cook. "Hey there." he said, smiling through the window. "What's for lunch today?"

"8 ounce steak,"� he answered. His back was turned to the Captain. He turned his head to look at the Captain. His shiny black eye was showing. Frenzy hungry Ensign Joshua had thrown a plate missing dodging Crewman Jules. The plate found its way hitting D'Vid in the eye. "Afternoon Cap,"� he said with a little effort of happiness.

D'Vid turned his head back to making lunch. The crew gonna hate him more for it cause he had not much to work with. He grabbed the mystery dish. He turned to the Captain.

"Special today, Peanut Butter Jelly sandwich for everyone's tastebuds," he replied, placing the plate front of the Captain. "Oh, can't for get the high light drink," he said with a smile.He was hiding his thoughts as, I am dealing with bull shit. He grabbed an empty glass, placed it front of the Captain. "Tomato juice," he grabbed the jar of tomato juice.

"Sir, I can't handle the situation," he had to speak up. "Dammit, Captain! These people here are gonna eat each other or the god damn ship. I was called every damn name in the book. I am a cook not some miracle worker who can make a cuisine out peanut butter and tomato juice or tomato  soup. Fried Tomato. Dried tomato. Smashed Tomato. Spicey Tomato, ANYONE!" he cranked his head to look around the mess hall.  He lifted his hands up. "I can make some tomato seed drink of something.... I rather fight a fleet of hungry Klingons to deal with the crew SIR!"

[Dylan Torngate]

"8 ounce steak," he answered. His back was turned to the Captain. He turned his head to look at the Captain. His shiny black eye was showing. Frenzy hungry Ensign Joshua had thrown a plate missing dodging Crewman Jules. The plate found its way hitting D'Vid in the eye. "Afternoon Cap," he said with a little effort of happiness.

D'Vid turned his head back to making lunch. The crew gonna hate him more for it cause he had not much to work with. He grabbed the mystery dish. He turned to the Captain.

"Special today, Peanut Butter Jelly sandwich for everyone's tastebuds," he replied, placing the plate front of the Captain. "Oh, can't for get the high light drink," he said with a smile.He was hiding his thoughts as, I am dealing with bull shit. He grabbed an empty glass, placed it front of the Captain. "Tomato juice," he grabbed the jar of tomato juice.

"Sir, I can't handle the situation," he had to speak up. "Dammit, Captain! These people here are gonna eat each other or the god damn ship. I was called every damn name in the book. I am a cook not some miracle worker who can make a cuisine out peanut butter and tomato juice or tomato  soup. Fried Tomato. Dried tomato. Smashed Tomato. Spicey Tomato, ANYONE!" he cranked his head to look around the mess hall.  He lifted his hands up. "I can make some tomato seed drink of something.... I rather fight a fleet of hungry Klingons to deal with the crew SIR!"

[Mess]

"Hey chef." The captain responded, barely getting those two syllables out before the cook ripped him a new one. It appeared that Mahak's creations were starting to get on everyone's nerves. He listened to the rant. He understood completely. The man was a chef, not a preschool cafeteria attendant.

He ducked, and mock held up an empty tray to defend himself form the words. "I understand, Chef." he said, nodding. "We're gonna resupply soon, and when we're back on earth on liberty, I'll make sure you have all the food and ingredients you want. That mollify you?" he asked. Hopefully the ability to make anything he wanted when they were back on Earth would help desalt the man.

As to what else to do, Charles was at a disadvantage. There wasn't exactly much he could do here but wish the warp five engine could go a bit faster. He took his food and prepared to back away, to retreat somewhere else in the mess and eat his... albeit boring... meal.

[D'Vid]

D'Vid took a deep breath as he was hearing what the Captain had to say about the situation.

"We're gonna resupply soon, and when we're back on earth on liberty, I'll make sure you have all the food and ingredients you want. That mollify you?" he asked.

A smile grew on his face. "Yes, that sounds brilliant," he said. He was feeling relieved. Soon he would be able to make some real plates. "Cause I was going to make tomato paste on plates and call it dinner," he with a little charm.

"I understand your under a stress. Is there anything I can I do help sir?" he asked. "You can talk to me. You know I am here to help you."

[Kinley Garrison]

[Engine Room]

Bota checked off the last of the items on his data pad, and then returned it to its charging and storage rack along one wall.  This had become his daily routine: A thirty-point check on the drive system, and it was now complete.  No problems to report.  Everything was purring like a kitten.

Working on the Lexington was quite a change from the Mercury.   An older NV class, the Mercury was among the first of the Warp 2 ships commissioned by Star Fleet. Built during an era when warp drive was still an emerging technology.  Things were always breaking down in her engine room, or falling out of calibration.  Efforts were constantly being made to optimize her systems, to squeeze out a few more cochranes.  The name 'Mercury' had been chosen in part because of its allusion to great speed.    Ironically, time and technological advancements had consigned her to serve as one of the slowest ships in the Star Fleet.  Once a few more NX-Class vessels were built, they would probably mothball her, or maybe sell her into civilian service.

Sometimes he felt guilty for leaving the Mercury behind, with all its struggles and problems.  But then he laid eyes on this jewel of modern engineering, and all of his guilt vanished.

Reaching out, he laid his right hand on the side of the core, his palm atop its copper-colored shell.  A gentle thrumming could be felt through the housing.   Inside, a storm of superpowered plasma was roiling, created by the mutual annhilation of matter and antimatter.  It was a domain of the Gods, harnessed by mere mortals.  The Warp 5 engine would doubtless stand as the greatest technological achievement of his generation.

And it was his to maintain.

Well, his... and everyone else in Engineering.  Not the least of whom was his boss, Commander Renehan.  She was the Chief Engineering officer on the Lexington.  He envied her the position.  She was much younger than he was, and had far fewer scholarly credentials under her belt.  He never would have requested this assignment under normal conditions, knowing that someone younger and less qualified would be his superior.  Only the Warp 5 engine had motivated him to overlook his ego and take the post when it was offered to him.

However, in his short time here, he had begun to appreciate why she held her lofty rank and position as head of the Engineering department.  While Bota had obtained a highly specialized and rarified education in warp systems on Earth, Renehan was a spacer, an accomplished jack-of-all-trades with a lifelong experience repairing and modifying ship systems.  Through sheer force of will, she had leapfrogged from Enlisted to Officer ranks, crushing all engineering challenges under her boots.  And she had a keen understanding of how to manage her department as well as its machines.

In short, she was better than he was.

It was a humbling thing, and not good for his ego, but it was the truth.

Well, he would just have to learn what he could from her.   Follow her example.   And then one day, an engine room just like this one might be his to command.

(open tag for anyone who might come along)

[Engine room]

Grace looked around the engine room. The steady hum and throb of various engines filled her ears and vibrated the floors. For at least the time being, nothing was broken. Well, nothing  major anyways. With a ship of this size and caliber, however, she was always up to something. Right now, it was Fuse #76.
Scanning the walls of electronics and machinery, she sighed.  It was far up on the wall, almost taunting her by its inaccessibility. "Of course the one fuse I needed to check just HAD to be on top. Why couldn't it be #23 or some other one that I can reach?"

Looking around for a crate or something else she could step on to get to the fuse, she noticed Bota finishing up his checklist. "Hey, Bota, could you help me out?  Fuse #76 blew and of course I'm a bit too short to reach it."

[James H. Hawk]

[Bridge]

Matt hated survey missions. He really hated them. He was more likely to die from boredom on survey missions than in a firefight.

Displaying all the all the finest qualities of a Starfleet Officer, Matt was sitting at his station on the bridge with his legs up and his eyes closed. It wasn't like he really needed to do anything. They were simply heading back to Starbase after a long and boring mission. Hopefully, something would happen sooner or later.

[Jada]

[Hydroponics - E Deck]

"Didn't know you had a green thumb, Subcommander," said a friendly, cheerful voice.

The Vulcan half turned and saw Crewman Moore, a cheerful fellow in the department. In response, Mahak held up his two thumbs to the man, about to say that his thumbs were not green, but unintentionally making a positive human gesture.

"Hey, thumbs up right back at you!" Moore cried enthusiastically, and turned and left.

Mahak blinked, and lowered his hands. Humans.

'I don't get that one either.' d'Jada agreed to Mahak as she followed Moore into Hydroponics. The Orion woman was an exchange officer of the Orion Space Navy, the (alleged) fleet of the Orion Colonies, serving as an advisor on those sectors the OSN claimed to be familiar with and on Orion pirate activity the OSN claimed not to be associated with. She wore the Earth Starfleet uniform and had a nominal rank of ensign, though her official rank in the OSN was rumoured to be closer to crewman. Somehow the OSN had managed to cheat Starfleet even on an officer exchange program, but d'Jada had never been anything less than diligent and helpful. As one of the few aliens on the ship, she shared the Vulcan's bemusement at human habits. 'Yet they never tell me my thumbs are green.' She glanced at her green hands, shrugged, and crossed the room.

In one corner, she kept a barrel, which she cracked open to reveal a seething and stinking mass of Orion wing-slugs. The vermin devoured the plant waste from hydroponics and bred, and kept the Orion woman fed in protein and essential nutrients. They didn't half smell though. As she stirred the heap, some of the slugs tried to fly out, and d'Jada caught them in a jar. 'Humans seem to have a weird fixation on body parts.'

[Ser Conley]

[Bridge]

Matt hated survey missions. He really hated them. He was more likely to die from boredom on survey missions than in a firefight.

Displaying all the all the finest qualities of a Starfleet Officer, Matt was sitting at his station on the bridge with his legs up and his eyes closed. It wasn't like he really needed to do anything. They were simply heading back to Starbase after a long and boring mission. Hopefully, something would happen sooner or later.

[Bridge]

Morris sat at the helm, like he ways did.  The ship was on auto pilot.  But it never hurt to keep an eye out.   He wish the same could be said for their security chief.  But Morris was a patient man.  He waited for the for the chief to get relax and comfortable.   Then let out a series of loud coughs.

"Sorry chief, must be dust in the air." He said, keeping a smile down.

[James H. Hawk]

[Bridge]

Morris sat at the helm, like he ways did.  The ship was on auto pilot.  But it never hurt to keep an eye out.   He wish the same could be said for their security chief.  But Morris was a patient man.  He waited for the for the chief to get relax and comfortable.   Then let out a series of loud coughs.

"Sorry chief, must be dust in the air." He said, keeping a smile down.

[Bridge]

Matt let out a loud grunt when he was disturbed by the pilots coughs. "Yes, dust on the most advanced space ship in the fleet," Matt groaned sarcastically, wishing he had something to throw at Morris.

[Leonard T. Scott]

Ready Room

Major Tom was working on some strategies to make sure his troops were ready for any threat that may board. There was the ever present threat of Orions and NausicaansÁ¢â,¬Å½. He was getting a tad hungry though, so he decided to see what the Captain was up to.

=/\=Major Tom to the Captain. Mind if we meet up for lunch? I have a few things I would like to run by you. I'm thinking of furthering training for some of your tactical personnel to help out.

[Dylan Torngate]

Ready Room

Major Tom was working on some strategies to make sure his troops were ready for any threat that may board. There was the ever present threat of Orions and NausicaansÁ¢â,¬Å½. He was getting a tad hungry though, so he decided to see what the Captain was up to.

=/\=Major Tom to the Captain. Mind if we meet up for lunch? I have a few things I would like to run by you. I'm thinking of furthering training for some of your tactical personnel to help out.

[Mess Hall]

The captain heard the hail over the ship's speakers and walked over to a wall panel, punching the button as he swallowed... something? It was tomato and that's about it.

"Captain here." he said, and heard the message. He replied. "Lucky for you, Major, I'm already in the Mess Hall. Feel free to join me, provided you're fine with peanut butter jelly and tomatoes." he said, and shut off the panel. He hated having to stand up and find a wall just to get to his communications. Hopefully some day they'll find a better way. It was either that or have his communicator in his sleeve pocket all the time. Not like that'd get annoying at all.

[Leonard T. Scott]

[Mess Hall]

The captain heard the hail over the ship's speakers and walked over to a wall panel, punching the button as he swallowed... something? It was tomato and that's about it.

"Captain here." he said, and heard the message. He replied. "Lucky for you, Major, I'm already in the Mess Hall. Feel free to join me, provided you're fine with peanut butter jelly and tomatoes." he said, and shut off the panel. He hated having to stand up and find a wall just to get to his communications. Hopefully some day they'll find a better way. It was either that or have his communicator in his sleeve pocket all the time. Not like that'd get annoying at all.

[Ready Room]

=/\=On my way, then.

[Mess Hall]

Tom found the captain. He sat down across from him and began.

"Sir, I've been thinking. I know, kinda dangerous in my position," Tom said with a grin. "I think cross training your Tactical guys in our department would be good in case my boys need deployed with an away team. Any objections?"